The prominent stromal component suggests that loss of SMAD4-dependent signalling in cells within the epithelial microenvironment has an important role in the evolution of intestinal tumorigenesis in this syndrome.

SMAD4-/-T cells produce mediators of plasma cell expansion

Nature

Dr Byung-Gyu Kim and colleagues from the USA investigated the effect of SMAD4-dependent signalling in T cells in mice.

The researchers showed that selective loss of SMAD4-dependent signalling in T cells leads to spontaneous epithelial cancers in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

In addition, the research team found that epithelial-specific deletion of the SMAD4 gene does not lead to gastrointestinal tract cancers.